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theguardian.com
Resident group’s objections to bar and restaurant licences ‘destroying Soho’s reputation’
Soho Society, funded by Westminster council, is ferociously opposing all new proposals, venue owners sayA society of residents funded by the council could “destroy Soho’s reputation on the international stage” as London’s entertainment district by ferociously objecting to all new bar and restaurant licences, operators in the area have said.The Soho Society, a group of residents established in 1972 aimed at “preserving the character of Soho”, voted in its AGM on Thursday for a new licensing mandate, meaning it will challenge all new applications for bars and restaurants in the area, including renewals of existing licences. It will also object to any venue that wishes to open beyond “core hours”, which Westminster council decrees end at 11pm. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Gluten-free basics ‘now a luxury’ as price of a small branded loaf nears £4
People with coeliac disease say inflation and shrinking ranges are making food staples unaffordableGluten-free versions of everyday staples such as bread and biscuits are becoming a luxury, with shoppers complaining that a “decent” small loaf now costs nearly £4.Consumers have always paid a premium for these specialist foods, making any price increases a source of concern, particularly for people who follow a gluten-free diet for medical reasons. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘How can you have a Ferrari without any vroom?’: electric model shocks owners’ club
Suggestion the Luce EV should be stripped of prancing horse logo shows strength of feeling from Ferrari fansFor passionate enthusiasts, Ferraris are not merely cars but works of art. The emotion stirred by their classic red curves is, they say, akin to standing before a Michelangelo sculpture, while the sound of the engine revving evokes a sensation comparable to listening to the music of Giuseppe Verdi or Giacomo Puccini.Which is why the sight of the Italian carmaker’s first fully electric car, the Luce EV, unveiled this week, left many fans aghast. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Universal rejects billionaire Bill Ackman's takeover bid
The music giant said Pershing Square's offer fundamentally undervalued the business.
bbc.com
Only three-quarters of first class mail delivered on time
Royal Mail says its service is improving and that it is on track to hit the regulator Ofcom's reduced targets
theguardian.com
Oil prices on track for steepest monthly fall since 2020
Brent crude futures down 19% since end of April amid hopes of US-Iran peace deal, while stock markets rallyOil prices are on track for their biggest monthly fall since 2020, as investors hoped for an end to the US-Israel war on Iran.The price of Brent crude futures, the global benchmark, was down 1.3% on Friday at about $92 and 19% since the end of April. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Nationwide customer seeking election to board hits out at lender for ‘unfair’ treatment
James Sherwin-Smith says field tilted against him after decision to give members ‘quick vote’ against candidacyA Nationwide customer seeking election to the building society’s board has criticised the lender for “unfair” treatment and undermining democratic governance after it said it would tell members to vote against him.James Sherwin-Smith said Nationwide had tilted the field against him after it confirmed it would give members a default “quick vote” option that included a vote against his candidacy at the annual meeting in July. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
New Yorkers irritated by proliferation of London members’ clubs on their doorsteps
Upper East Side residents fighting Maison Estelle’s plan for venue with roof terrace next to ‘nice townhouses’The New York City elite are growing irritated by a proliferation of private members’ clubs from London’s Mayfair opening branches on their doorsteps.Over the last year, London clubs have started popping up like unexpected guests in the US city. The entrepreneur Robin Birley, who owns 5 Hertford Street – where Prince Harry and Meghan Markle reportedly had their first date – and Oswald’s in Mayfair, has opened Maxime’s on New York’s Upper East Side. The Grosvenor Square newcomer The Twenty Two has now opened its NYC outpost and others are swiftly following, including the Mayfair stalwart Annabel’s, which plans to open a site in the downtown meatpacking district. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Bank of England’s Bailey says no rush to raise interest rates amid Iran war uncertainty
Inflation can be tolerated above 2% target for now ‘given context of softness in real economy’, governor saysThe Bank of England is in no rush to raise interest rates while the outcome of the Iran war remains uncertain and the UK’s growth rate stays weak, its governor, Andrew Bailey, has said.In a signal that borrowing costs will remain at 3.75% at least during the summer, Bailey said it was tolerable for inflation to stay above the Bank’s 2% target during the current crisis. However, that would change if a more permanent increase in prices began to take effect, he said. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
London tube strikes to go ahead on Tuesday and Thursday, RMT says
Two 24-hour stoppages by drivers to take place next week as part of action over proposals for four-day weekStrikes by drivers on London Underground next week will go ahead, the RMT union has announced, paving the way for more days of transport disruption.Two 24-hour stoppages are to take place, from 00.01 to 23.59 on Tuesday 2 June and Thursday 4 June, because of differences over a planned four-day week. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Fish prints and shapes have UK shoppers hooked this summer
From sardines and sprats to crabs, marine life-themed fashion and homewares are making a splash Three years after declaring the death of florals, John Lewis has discovered a new print that is making a splash among shoppers. At the launch of its new high summer collection, the retailer said fish were quickly becoming its customers’ catch of the day.From sardines and sprats to crustaceans including crabs, its latest haul across fashion and homeware is rich in fish prints and shapes. Sales of starfish-shaped earrings are up 300% month on month, while high demand for a silky blue skirt smothered in shoals of fish has resulted in a waiting list. In homeware, sales of a set of glass tumblers that stack together to form the shape of a fish are up 400%, while a “gluggle jug” – a ceramic pitcher shaped like a fish that makes a gurgling sound as the water is poured – is becoming an outdoor dining essential. Sales of versions from Wade Pottery are up 129% month on month. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
What can the Dutch teach the UK about how to tackle the youth jobs crisis?
The Netherlands has the lowest rate of young people not in education, employment or training in the EUA shock government-backed report this week warned of the danger of a “lost generation” of young people in Britain, as the number of 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training (Neets) rose to more than 1 million.According to official UK statistics, roughly 13.5% of young people are not in work or college. Among 18- to 24-year-olds the share rises to 15.8% – nearly one in six. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Asda strikes deal to use Ocado software for home deliveries from next year
UK’s third biggest supermarket will use tech of online grocer, which already provides support for M&S and MorrisonsAsda has agreed a deal to update its online grocery store and home deliveries from next year using technology from Ocado.Ocado software will be used to support Asda’s grocery website and deliveries from its stores and “dark stores” – smaller warehouses that are not open to the public – from early 2027, the companies announced on Friday. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Mutual retailer triples boss’s pay to £2.2m despite fall in profits
OurCoop criticised by members after withholding annual profit-share payment despite soaring executive payOurCoop, an independent mutual that runs about 500 food stores across England, is facing criticism from members after it more than tripled its chief executive’s pay to £2.2m despite falling sales and profits.The chain, which is a separate company from the Co-op Group but relies on the much bigger business to supply some products, has not approved an annual profit-share payment to members this year, although they have received discounts on shopping. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Energy bills to go up for Power NI and Firmus customers
Both suppliers have said the increase is due to higher global energy and gas prices.
bbc.com
Top UK chefs call for cutting VAT for pubs and restaurants to 10%
Tom Kerridge, Yotam Ottolenghi, Ravneet Gill and Simon Rogan told BBC Newsnight VAT should be halved to ease mounting pressure on the hospitality industry.
theguardian.com
Workers need greater say over AI rollout, says TUC-backed report
Exclusive: IPPR thinktank calls for new measures to boost employees’ influence at ‘pivotal moment’ in history Workers urgently need more bargaining power over the way AI is adopted in the workplace to ensure the benefits are fairly shared, according to a TUC-backed report from a leading thinktank.The Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) is calling for a package of measures to boost employees’ influence at what it calls a “pivotal moment in the history of work”. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Sunak is right that our students need financial literacy – but that shouldn’t mean yet more maths | Simon Jenkins
Education should prepare young people for dealing not only with practical things such as insurance, pensions and taxes but also with tech and mental healthWhat is it about ex-ministers that they suddenly know how to run the country? Tony Blair hurls thunderbolts at his successor, Keir Starmer. His former colleague, Alan Milburn, is shocked that a million young people aged 16-24 are not in education, training or a job – one in seven of them with degrees: a rate double that in Ireland and three times that in the Netherlands. Meanwhile the former prime minister, Rishi Sunak, complains that pupils are never taught “financial literacy”. They are left unprepared for life outside the school gates.Sunak is clearly right, though we might wonder what he did about it when he was in Downing Street. His proposed numeracy project aims to teach children how to handle money, a skill at which he sees Britons in the dark ages compared with Germany and elsewhere. His only obsession is to believe this requires mathematics taught to the age of 18. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Why I’m grateful to the Pope for his encyclical on AI | Francine Prose
The intelligent and thoughtful encyclical is an important warning of the uses and misuses of a rapidly developing technology. Silicon Valley is wrong to dismiss itOften I’m asked if I think that the novels of the future will all be written by AI. It’s not so much a question as a provocation. Do I worry that a machine can do what I do, only better? I usually say something like: “No algorithm is going to write Anna Karenina!” which is also not a real answer.So I’m grateful to Pope Leo XIV, the American pope, for his recently issued letter to the world, Magnifica Humanitas: On Safeguarding the Human Person in the Time of Artificial Intelligence. It’s a long (more than 40,00 words), intelligent and thoughtful encyclical in which the pope addresses the uses and misuses of a rapidly developing technology. Now when someone asks my opinion of AI, I can refer them to the pope’s letter, or at least chapter three. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It’s become something of a craze’: influencers spread news of healthy French cheese
Cancoillotte is low in fat, high in protein and – until recently – little known outside of a village in eastern FranceAt the cheesemakers in the village of Franois, eastern France, a stream of what looks like runny, beige gloop is being potted, packaged and dispatched for delivery as fast as it can be made. The freezer room, normally piled high with pallets of the product, is almost empty.For what must be the first time in the history of cancoillotte – a cheese product that until recently was little known outside the eastern Franche-Comté – there was talk of a “rupture” in supplies, and an unprecedented shortage. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Air conditioning: the wealthy and well can afford it, but disabled people who need it most can't | Frances Ryan
It is a short-term fix, but AC is an essential tool for many for whom the heat can be harmful, and even life-threateningI used to love a heatwave. I was the sort of British person who acted like I was in the Mediterranean if the sun was slightly visible, coercing friends to take the outside restaurant table and eagerly working in the garden until my MacBook started to overheat rather than my internal organs. That was until I developed post-viral fatigue from the flu nine years ago.Now, the heat means suffering rather than pleasure: less energy, more pain and worse breathing. This has only increased as heatwaves across Europe have soared. I have spent this week of record-high May temperatures in the UK largely in bed, with the blinds drawn and two 5ft-high fans looming over me like security guards at a club no one wants to get into. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Sunbed group in hot seat over false claims that tanned skin protects against sunburn
Health organisations refute assertion by Sunbed Association that tanning is protective and warn it could increase risk of skin cancerThe body that represents the UK’s sunbed salons is wrongly insisting that a tan protects against sunburn, even though leading medical bodies (contacted by Full Fact) say that claim is untrue.Health organisations have challenged the accuracy of information being disseminated by the Sunbed Association, which on its website asks: “Is it true there is no such thing as a safe tan?” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Period homes with stylish extensions for sale in England – in pictures
From a red-brick house with a tower-like extension in the city to a Victorian home with an industrial-style extension in the country Continue reading...
theguardian.com
We know what former SNP chief Peter Murrell bought with £400,000 of embezzled funds. What I’d like to know is why | Gaby Hinsliff
His guilty plea means motive will for ever be a mystery. It just proves that the world can look as hard as it likes at someone’s marriage and never know what’s going onIt sounds like the haul of an unhappy trophy wife, filling her empty days with retail therapy. Three Fortnum & Mason advent calendars, seemingly priced for those to whom money is no object; a pair of incomprehensibly expensive Lalique crystal salt and pepper grinders; several hundreds of pounds’ worth of Le Creuset; and no fewer than six Nintendos.But these aren’t the contents of some influencer’s shopping bags. Rather it’s part of the charge sheet against Peter Murrell, former Scottish National party (SNP) chief executive and estranged husband of former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, who pleaded guilty this week to slowly embezzling more than £400,000 from the party to which they both devoted their lives and blowing much of it on designer luxuries. What we may never know is why.Gaby Hinsliff is a Guardian columnistDo you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It feels unfair’: the Britons struggling to get a mortgage since Iran war began
Whether first-time buyers, in between homes or refixing, people tell of impact of higher mortgage rates on housingProspects of cuts in UK interest rates in 2026, which were widely expected at the start of the year, were rapidly extinguished when the Iran war started at the end of February. The renewed threat of inflation means the Bank of England is now expected to raise rates at least once this year, with mortgage costs staying higher for longer.The boss of Britain’s largest housebuilder said on Thursday it was the most challenging time to be a first-time buyer since the 2008 financial crisis. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Blue Origin rocket explodes into huge ball of flame on Florida launch pad
Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, who founded Blue Origin, said it was a "very rough day".
theguardian.com
KPMG Australia’s CEO Andrew Yates quits over whistleblower scandal
Yates says ‘we have let ourselves down’ when dealing with allegations of client information being misusedFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastKPMG’s Australian chief, Andrew Yates, will step down immediately, after taking responsibility for the consultancy firm’s failure to properly respond to whistleblower allegations around the misuse of client information.The firm’s chief executive made the shock announcement on Friday morning, saying: “It is clear that in this case we have let ourselves down and I take accountability.” Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Blue Origin rocket explodes during test in latest setback for Jeff Bezos-owned company
No personnel were harmed in the incident, the company said on social media, calling the explosion an ‘anomaly’Nasa’s plans to build a lunar base and return humans to the moon in the next two years were thrown into jeopardy after a New Glenn rocket from Jeff Bezos’s Blue Origin company exploded during a test in Florida.A massive fireball engulfed and destroyed the launchpad at the Kennedy Space Center seconds after the start of the scheduled “hotfire” test at 9pm ET, and an orange sky was visible in Fort Pierce, 185km (115 miles) to the south. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Humanoid robots 'the future' of car making, says BMW
BMW is introducing humanoid robots to a car plant in Europe, building on similar projects in the US.
bbc.com
When trade soured, this American liquor maker moved to Canada
Sales of the fruity liqueur popular with Canadian students had plummetted north of the border as provinces retaliated against Trump tariffs.
theguardian.com
Anthropic reaches valuation of $965bn, beating OpenAI to become world’s most valuable AI firm
Claude’s parent company’s $65bn in latest funding round underscores vast sums of money still flowing into industryAnthropic, the AI firm behind the Claude chatbot, announced on Thursday it had raised $65bn in funding to value the company at $965bn post-money. The move makes Anthropic the world’s most valuable AI startup, eclipsing its competitor OpenAI.The deal marks an exceedingly successful period of growth for Anthropic, which was once considered to be a smaller player in the global AI arms race. The widespread adoption of its products by large enterprise businesses, especially following its release of powerful coding assistants late last year, has turned it into a dominant player in the industry. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Can Trump's negotiation playbook solve the Iran war? – video
The Guardian's Oliver Holmes looks at how Donald Trump's book The Art of the Deal could shed light on the president's negotiation tactics in the war with Iran Continue reading...
bbc.com
California Attorney General sues 23andMe successor for 2023 data breach
Attorney General Rob Bonta alleges the company lied about the breach's severity.
bbc.com
US government prepares to print $250 note featuring Trump's face
Federal law bars printing images of living people on US currency, but Trump allies in Congress are moving to make an exception.
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on jobs and training: boosting young people’s chances should be a national mission | Editorial
Colleges and placements can help the 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds who aren’t earning or learning. But what they need most is workFor a few days at least, political attention is focused on young people aged 16-24 who are not in education, employment or training (known as Neets). A report from the commission led by Alan Milburn, a former health secretary, shines a bright light on a group that needs it. The document concentrates on analysis, with recommendations due in the autumn. Describing problems is generally easier than solving them.The latest figures record more than 1 million Neets – one in eight of their age group; 60% are economically inactive, meaning that they are not looking for work. The report warns that there will soon be more unless action is taken. It points out that this issue is too often approached from the wrong direction. Political attacks on welfare spending and mean-spirited criticisms of “kids these days” are a distraction from the facts about unemployment, rising ill health and inadequate training. The UK’s poor track record compared with other countries proves that this is a policy failure.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
The Guardian view on energy shocks: winter is coming – and Labour needs a plan | Editorial
Clean power remains essential. But until it arrives, Britain must stop LNG made scarce by the Iran war setting gas and electricity prices The US-Israel war on Iran will drive household energy costs in Britain to their highest level in two years over the summer. This has given fresh impetus to calls for the energy secretary, Ed Miliband, to change course. The cabinet minister is vulnerable because he promised cheaper bills if Britain embraced his clean, green power plan.Critics, including Labour’s former prime minister Sir Tony Blair, are circling. Yet Mr Miliband ought to ignore the naysayers. Until global carbon emissions, including Britain’s, are reduced to net zero, the planet will continue to fry and temperature records will continue to be broken.Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
UK recall alert issued for car seat base that poses risk of injuries to children
Office for Product Safety and Standards advises stopping use of Maxi-Cosi FamilyFix Slide Pro bases immediatelyA baby car seat product that poses a risk of injuries to children because of a malfunctioning safety indicator has been recalled by its manufacturer.Maxi-Cosi is recalling all of its FamilyFix Slide Pro bases from buyers, information on the Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) website showed. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Unfair childcare eligibility criteria and the ‘nerd tax’ | Letters
Jamie Evans questions the exclusion that means his family will not be able to claim £8,000 of support while his wife is a PhD studentThe education secretary, Bridget Phillipson, is right to order a Competition and Markets Authority review of hidden childcare charges (Report, 24 May). However, she would do well to also review her department’s own eligibility criteria for accessing 30 hours of funded childcare in the first place. One particularly egregious exclusion is that of PhD students, who miss out on approximately £8,000 of support that the majority of other working parents can access, despite earning only about £20,000 per year (if on a typical UK Research and Innovation-funded course).This is the situation that will affect my wife and I from February next year, when our soon-to-be-born daughter will turn nine months old and my wife will need to return to the completion of her PhD (improving patient experiences of GP services). Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘They’re a private company, run for profit!’: fury in Kent at South East Water’s outages
Water company blames increased demand in extreme heat, but customers want answers about lack of storage reservoirs“Spitting, fuming, angry and powerless” is how Pat Prestage describes her emotions after a water outage that has affected thousands of homes in Kent during the heatwave.On Wednesday, 8,000 South East Water customers in Whitstable lost water, with 14,000 more in Tankerton, Ashford, and its surrounding areas facing an intermittent supply or low pressure. South East Water’s incident manager, Matthew Dean, said on Thursday that 22,000 people had had water supply problems. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
'Lost generation’: why can’t young people get jobs? – The Latest
A landmark government-backed report has warned that the UK risks a ‘lost generation’ of young people, as new figures show that more than 1 million 16- to 24-year-olds in the UK were not in education, employment or training.The former Labour cabinet minister Alan Milburn said youth disengagement was a mounting economic risk to the country, and urged a fundamental reset of policy covering schools, the health service and the welfare state. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s senior economics correspondent, Richard Partington Continue reading...
theguardian.com
Alan Milburn is right, a young generation has been betrayed. Forget Tony Blair: we must attend to this | Polly Toynbee
The new and excoriating account of the dire prospects for UK young people is a call to action. It could be the Beveridge report for our time The diagnosis is dire. Alan Milburn has published the first part of his forensic report on the lives and chances of young people, their fate after leaving school or college, the inadequacy of their health, education and pastoral care, and the reluctance of employers to hire them. This is a “moral crisis”, he says. There are now more than a million young people not in work, education or training (Neets), and Milburn expects that number to rise to 1.25 million without radical change. The government needs a “big idea”, he tells me. This should be it, “the spine, the purpose”.Perhaps he was expected only to solve the particular problem of left-behind and lost Neets. What he has delivered instead is an excoriating overview of how badly this young generation is treated altogether. A sense of shock reverberates through every well-written page. Why have children and young people had such a low priority in resources and political concern, especially since 2010? There has been institutional neglect, loss of youth and careers services, chaotic non-communication or data exchange between dislocated silos, small schemes coming and going. Milburn describes a catastrophic failure: it needs a whole “system reset” and no more “tinkering”. Continue reading...
bbc.com
Drag queen Pattie Gonia fights trademark lawsuit by Patagonia
The outdoor apparel firm says the performer broke an agreement not to use its branding in merchandise.
theguardian.com
Should I get air conditioning in the UK – and can it be green?
As summers become hotter, air conditioner sales are booming. If you’re looking to invest, here’s what to considerWhen a heatwave struck the UK this week, Jon Connorton, a software developer, began monitoring temperatures inside his east Hampshire terrace house. With some rooms reaching close to 40C, it was time to deploy the air conditioner. “We just wheel it out in emergencies,” he said. “We were having trouble sleeping.”Connorton and his wife have a portable air conditioner. These plug-in devices cool interior air by removing heat from it and blowing that heat outside, typically via a large hose slung from a window or door. Continue reading...
bbc.com
'I've applied for more than 400 roles' - how young people are facing the job shortage
The BBC has been hearing from young people who are struggling to find work about how they are tackling the challenge.
theguardian.com
Tony Blair and the battle for Labour’s soul
Peter Walker is joined by pollster Luke Tryl of More in Common to discuss Sir Tony Blair’s intervention in the Labour leadership saga and the party’s prospects in the Makerfield byelectionPlease send your questions and messages for Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com Continue reading...
bbc.com
Opportunities shrinking for too many young people, says major report on 'lost generation'
A report warns the number of 16 to 24-year-olds out of work, education or training is set to rise to 1.25 million by 2031.
bbc.com
EU fines Temu €200m for allowing sale of illegal products
The European Commission says the Chinese-owned online retailer failed to take account of risks from baby toys and faulty chargers sold on its platform.
bbc.com
Oil prices fall after report of breakthrough in US-Iran talks
A report of a extended ceasefire, subject to Donald Trump's approval, has led to global oil prices to fall on Thursday.
theguardian.com
The race for oil: will Jamaica be the next country to drill and what does that mean for its green pledges?
With early tests suggesting the presence of crude oil, the Caribbean island has begun to debate whether it could justify becoming a producerJamaica is closer than ever to drilling for oil. Tests on samples from the seabed off the Caribbean island’s south coast earlier this year identified hydrocarbons, which suggest the presence of crude oil below ground.Jamaica imports all its fuel, which costs about $1.5-2bn (£1.1bn-1.5bn) annually, depending on global oil prices. It is a persistent drag on an economy that generated $4.3bn from tourism, its biggest earner, in 2024. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘Saaz is our gold’: the Czech scientists breeding hops that can survive a hotter Europe
Researchers are working to create new drought-resistant varieties of the ingredient that gives Czech pilsner its characterIt is the country that drinks more beer per capita than any other but in the last few years Czechia has been hit by droughts and heatwaves, which make it harder to grow the Saaz hops, one of the key ingredients that goes into the country’s world famous beer.At the Hop Research Institute, however, scientists are working to create new, climate-resilient hop varieties that have shown promise in overcoming Czechia’s heat and its strict traditionalism. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘It’s like Dunkirk for the construction industry!’ The small team rescuing London’s precious building materials
Joel de Mowbray’s salvage scheme began as a small milk float converted into a logging vehicle – now he’s part of Tipping Point East, a massive site designed to divert valuable waste materials to builders that need itJoel de Mowbray reached breaking point with UK construction in south London in 2020. He was working on a lovely building project, part of Lambeth council’s scheme to make streets more pedestrian-friendly. De Mowbray was installing a public wooden seating area in an underused stretch of street.“The council were doing treeworks the entire time we were building, felling trees right next to us,” he says. “But we had to go to Ashdown Forest for our supplies. That felt bonkers to me: they were creating the exact material we needed next to our site.” Continue reading...
bbc.com
Ousted BP chairman hits back at 'lies' about his behaviour
Albert Manifold said no-one should be "allowed to hide behind anonymity" when commenting on his time at BP.
theguardian.com
Young first-time buyers face toughest time since financial crisis, says UK housebuilder
Barratt Redrow boss says rising interest rates, higher student debt and squeeze on wages hitting property dreamBusiness live – latest updatesThe boss of Britain’s largest housebuilder has said it is the most challenging time to be a first-time buyer since the financial crisis, as the dream of home ownership moves increasingly out of reach for many young people.A combination of rising interest rates, higher levels of student debt and the squeeze on wages is making it “challenging, very, very difficult” for young people to get on the housing ladder, according to David Thomas, the departing chief executive of Barratt Redrow. Continue reading...
theguardian.com
‘A record of failure’: what’s in the first part of Alan Milburn’s Neet report?
The former minister paints damning picture of structural issues affecting 1 million young people in the UKAlan Milburn, the Blair-era cabinet minister turned social mobility adviser, has delivered the first part of his government-commissioned report on why increasing numbers of people aged 16 to 24 are not in education, employment or training (Neet).Its 217 pages cover the extent and causes of the issue – with possible solutions coming in his next report – and set out a hugely detailed and damning picture of what Milburn calls a “record of failure”, one that is letting down young people. These are some of its main points. Continue reading...
bbc.com
The £5 coffee that tells a story of global economic turmoil
Coffees at some city centre outlets now cost £5. It's a story of tariffs, the climate, Gen Z cultural tastes, and savvy coffee farmers playing the market, writes Faisal Islam
theguardian.com
Are robots nearing their ChatGPT moment? – podcast
Last month at Beijing’s half marathon, a robot named Lightning beat the human world record by nearly seven minutes. It’s the latest in a string of AI-powered milestones that have got people wondering whether robots are about to enter our everyday lives, just as chatbots have. And the country leading the charge is China, where the government has pledged to invest more than £100bn in robotics over the next 20 years. To find out how robots are already entering the workforce, and what needs to happen to get them cleaning our homes and weeding our gardens, Ian Sample hears from the Guardian’s senior China correspondent, Amy Hawkins, and from Nathan Lepora, professor of robotics and AI at Bristol University, who researches how robots can achieve human-like dexterityClips: Global News, BBC, CGTN Continue reading...
bbc.com
Australia sues US giant 3M over 'forever chemicals' in firefighting foam
The A$2bn case, which centres on contamination at defence sites, is the largest ever brought by the government.
bbc.com
Google worker charged with using internal data to make $1.2m on bets
The longtime Google employee was charged in New York for allegedly breaking insider trading laws.
bbc.com
Why Fifa is being investigated over World Cup ticket prices
New York and New Jersey are looking into the association after fans have reportedly been "misled" over ticket sales and seat locations.
bbc.com
Is 'out of control' US tipping culture spreading overseas?
With US waiting staff getting cross at receiving less than 20%, tips are also on the rise elsewhere.
bbc.com
The world's carmakers are struggling to compete with China
The BBC visited China’s EV factories and found they are dominating the ecosystems shaping the global auto industry.
bbc.com
Why paying £5 for a latte is here to stay
Poor coffee harvests in Brazil and Vietnam are just some of the factors driving up the price of your morning cup of coffee.
bbc.com
How you can save money on your energy bill
Experts say action now can save money when the pinch comes this winter.
bbc.com
'I fear for my son's farming future due to costs'
One farmer says his red diesel costs have risen from £27,000 a year to £54,000.
bbc.com
How a rise in energy bills will affect you from July
Household energy prices will rise by 13% a year in July, as soaring wholesale costs caused by the US-Israel war with Iran hit bills for the first time.
bbc.com
Why it's now harder to get a Saturday job
The boss of Next has warned there has been a "dramatic fall" in the number of entry-level job opportunities in the UK.
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The rise of the fruit that tastes like custard
Custard apple plants are prized for their hardiness but exporting their delicate fruit is difficult.
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Energy bills to rise for millions as impact of Iran war hits
A household using a typical amount of energy will pay £221 a year more, under the regulator's new price cap.
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'Bullying' and 'overbearing' behaviour behind abrupt BP chairman removal
BP declined to comment on whether bullying behaviour was part of the reason for his immediate dismissal.
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Farmers' warning as milk prices fall below cost
Farmers worry more family farms will be sold unless dairy prices rise quickly.
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Ferrari shares slump after it unveils first fully electric car
The new Luce model has divided opinion on social media, and comes despite intense pressure from Chinese EV makers.
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Booming AI chip demand helps create two new $1tn club members
SK Hynix and Micron are the latest tech firms to join the growing list of stocks with mega valuations.
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Champion ethical hacker warns AI tools like Mythos will make competing harder
Chompie, one of the world's tops ethical hackers, says AI like Claude Mythos will make it harder for people like her to compete.
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Instagram betting ads featuring Kane and Haaland banned
The advertising watchdog said the adverts featuring top footballers had a strong appeal to under-18s.
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This beach hut costs the same as a three-bedroom house
A beach hut has gone on the market for £200,000 - the same price as some houses further along the Welsh coast.
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Morocco wants tourists to visit Western Sahara. Some say it's tightening its control
The Moroccan government wants more Western holidaymakers to visit the territory it claims to own.
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'Six eggs used to be £1' - why everyday essentials cost so much more now
Six supermarket brand eggs cost £1 in 2022. How much are they now, why have they gone up, and is anyone profiteering?
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The Leeds designer outlet that's 15 miles from Leeds
A rebrand of the junction 32 retail park off the M62 has gone down poorly with some locals in Castleford.
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Why are unpaid debt court cases rising?
Why are unpaid debt court cases rising?
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Love factually: Dating start-ups promise to cut the cheats
Frustration with fake dating profiles has spurred new dating services with different approaches.
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The fight against foreign developers buying Caribbean beaches
Campaigners in Barbuda, Grenada and Jamaica say they can no longer access their coastlines.
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Robo-top: The machines that could make your next t-shirt
Most clothes are made in Asia, but new machines could bring some of that work back to the West.
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Why does Amazon have no Western rivals?
The internet giant dwarfs other online retailers on both sides of the Atlantic.
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Rise in solar panel sales as people 'want to save money'
One director, who has just bought 2,000 panels, hopes to safeguard the company's future bills.
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Inside the secretive and lucrative world of orchid breeding
It can take a decade to bring a new orchid to market, so breeders keep their hi-tech processes secret.
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Smart glasses are 'an invasion of privacy' - Meta's are selling better than ever
The biggest tech firms are set to sell millions of smart glasses despite growing privacy concerns.
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The threat to summer holidays looming from jet fuel shortages
What impact might shortages have on our summer holidays - and what could be done about it?
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Scammers are becoming ever more sophisticated - this is what the fightback looks like
Scams have exploded over the last few years. Can countries and companies come together to turn the tables on the scammers?
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The £5.30 orange juice that tells the story of why supermarket prices are sky high
Butter, chocolate, coffee and milk have all seen prices rocket. Tracing back through the story of one particular supermarket staple begins to explain why
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Prepare for turbulence - how a prolonged Middle East conflict could reshape how we fly
The Gulf's hub airports made long-distance travel cheaper - but now their future looks unclear.
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Sir John Curtice: Why Labour's Brexit focus has shifted from Leavers to Remainers
Will the pursuit of a closer relationship with the EU risk courting electoral disaster by alienating Brexit-backing voters?
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